A damp proof course is installed in a building to prevent water seeping into the brickwork and creating problems such as rising damp and penetrating damp.

Cyprus Damp Proofing are experts in the treatment of all damp problems and our services include Damp Proofing, Damp Proof Coursing Installation, Damp Proof Membrane Installation, Chemical Damp Coursing, Basement Tanking, Cellar Tanking, Timber & Woodworm, Penetrating Damp, Dry Rot Treatment, Wet Rot Treatment, External Coatings, Condensation control, rising damp and penetrating damp.

Let’s look at the two most common forms of damp proofing; the Damp Proof Course (DPC) and the Damp Proof Membrane (DPM).

Damp Proof Course (DPC):

A DPC is a horizontal strip within the wall that acts as a barrier designed to prevent moisture creeping up through the brickwork by capillary action – more commonly known as rising damp. Generally a DPC layer is placed below the wall and is mostly 4" to 9" wide however, this can be altered for building specific requirements. Usually a DPC is a thick plastic strip that is embedded between two courses of bricks or blocks and can be observed as a thin plastic line in the mortar near floor level.

Damp Proof Membrane (DPM):

A DPM performs is basically the same but is used underneath a solid floor. DPMs are generally recognisable as a sturdy polythene sheet placed below the floor slab. This allows the floor to dry out and resist any groundwater and it is spread over a bed of sand preventing the hard-core located below damaging the damp proof membrane.

In either case if there is a requirement is to create a continuous barrier, then pieces of DPC or DPM are joined (welded) together. In addition, the DPC is welded to the DPM around the outside edges of the ground floor, completely sealing the inside of the building from the damp ground under it.

Of course the latest external coatings can prevent the ingress of water into permeable surfaces and new processes such as injecting a chemical damp course are all available but they are used more in remedial damp proofing.

Remedial Damp Proofing Fortunately modern chemicals and technologies enable Cyprus Damp Proofing to offer many solutions for dealing with damp problems within existing buildings. The best solutions will be applied after Cyprus Damp Proofing has identified the types of dampness causing the issues in the first place.